News Archive
Congress must advance plan for Amtrak
ORLANDO, Fla. – As lawmakers prepare to debate passenger rail reauthorization, leaders of AFL-CIO transportation unions are calling on Congress to set a long-term future for Amtrak that meets the demands of a growing ridership, invests in the railroad’s decaying equipment an [...]Engineer says cell phone not factor in crash
The engineer of one of two ore trains that crashed head-on just outside of Two Harbors, Minn., in 2010 is taking issue with the National Transportation Safety Board report on the accident, disputing that cell phone use by the train crews was a relevant factor. In an exclusive [...]FRA issues new report on fatigue
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a new report on the status of fatigue among railroad industry employees. In 2001, the FRA began examining the fatigue status of safety-critical railroad employees by using logbooks to collect work and sleep data over a period of [...]
With elections past, our work begins
By James Stem, National Legislative Director – As a new Congress begins its largely partisan struggles, which are sometimes difficult to understand and frequently disturbing, the job of the National Legislative Office is to convince lawmakers that the legislative agenda of S [...]Healthy drivers are happy drivers
Healthy drivers are happy drivers As the year kicks off, I must ask you: “How are you doing?” “I am healthy and happy” is the answer I’d love to hear, but, sadly, it’s the answer I hear less and less. Consider our work schedules, and the nature of our jobs: We s [...]
Diet, weight control, exercise are keys to healthy living
By Dr. Norman K. BrownUTU Medical Consultant We have known for a long time that inadequate oxygen from poor heart or lung function, or poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide carried from breathing into our lungs, can injure our brains. Recent studies of women exposed to seco [...]First Student employees bring Christmas to kids
“First Student bus drivers and mechanics from Local 1908 are so much more than just people who get your children to and from school,” said Local Secretary Joann Ehrhardt. If you need proof, just ask some of those children. After a Buffalo, N.Y., School District family of six [...]Szabo: Rail investment spurs manufacturers
The following message was sent to the UTU National Legislative Office from Federal Railroad Administrator Joe Szabo: In his State of the Union Address last week, President Obama spoke about the importance of investing in our infrastructure as a path to create new jobs and lay [...]